Tune as Old as Song extended chapters
by Nothing-will-come-of-Nothing
Summary: This story was inspired by the original Tune as Old as Song written by So-crates Johnson. I was granted their full permission and blessing to publish. This story takes place in between chapters 13-14 of the original story. Rated T for mild language.
1. Chapter 1

_This story was inspired by the original story __Tune as Old as Song __written by So-crates Johnson. I was granted their full permission to publish. I am truly grateful for this opportunity to build off of a wonderful writers' inventive story line. Thank you so much, So-crates Johnson, for your permission as well as your assistance in making this story a reality._

_I would also like to thank another fanfic writer, disneylove89, for their amazing support and encouragement. Without it, I fear, I would have never found the courage to publish anything. _

Chapter 1

Adam had just unlocked the door to his apartment, guitar case in hand, as he wearily glanced around for Belle. Jean Lumiere had dropped Adam off from practice with Charlie Cogsworth and he was quite taxed from his day at grad school, and afterwards practicing with Enchantress for their gig the following evening. He unzipped his black hoodie after gently setting his case on the vacant kitchen counter. He spied his coffee maker, out of his periphery, and contemplated making some coffee. He was going to need the caffeine high in order to catch up on research for his upcoming paper. He suddenly realized how quiet the apartment was. Normally Belle would be reading, but as soon as he came through the door she would greet him happily and inquire about his day and he would be equally ecstatic to see her. He looked around once more.

"Belle?" No answer. Was she working late? he wondered. Surely he would remember if she had told him so. Adam moved to the modestly furnished living room, where he heard quiet and steady breathing. Looking down at the black leather couch, he saw her laying with a blanket wrapped around her and the book he had given her for her birthday, Le Petit Prince, resting on her chest. Adam reached down over the back of the couch and stroked her cheek tenderly.

"Poor baby," he chuckled lightly. Belle had been making every effort to come to as many Enchantress shows as possible, as well as continuing her work at the Times. Although Adam and Belle had been a little swamped lately, they attempted to make as much time for each other as possible.

Adam was mentally making a list of everything, or anything for that matter, that he could fix them for dinner when suddenly Belle stirred from her slumber. Looking up, she noticed a pair of dazzling sapphire blue eyes admiring her.

"Well, hello there my sleeping beauty," Adam cooed as he pushed her hair out of her face. She smiled at him sleepily.

"Hi," she whispered. "How was your day?" Belle inquired while stretching.

"It's much better now that you're awake," Adam replied, "Are you hungry?" Belle nodded her head.

"Starving…Chinese?" she suggested and Adam shook his head in agreement.

"Deal," he answered smiling.

After ordering their dinner via phone, Adam wrapped his arms around Belle's waist and they fell gracefully against the couch.

"I missed you so much today," he whispered into her ear, his nose grazing her dark curled locks. She smiled coyly and looked at him.

"I missed you too," she replied lovingly. His lips brushed hers gently momentarily and then he pulled away, but Belle reacted by pulling his head, by his hair, towards hers locking him in a more passionate embrace.

"Goodness gracious," Adam claimed as they broke apart. "Did you miss me that much today?" He added cheekily. Belle nodded her head.

"Well, maybe just a little," she smirked playfully. "Our schedules haven't been ideal, lately. But I'm really proud of you." Adam didn't think he had heard her right at first. He looked into her eyes to find any hint of sarcasm. Belle noticed his confusion and continued, "You're working so diligently in school, and Enchantress has had more gigs now than ever. Not to mention, you're still giving guitar lessons and on top of all of that, you're keeping me the happiest I've ever been." Adam was stunned. He knew that he and Belle were more than happy together; neither of them had ever been in a relationship that simply felt so right. He wrapped his arms closer around her, pulling her sweet scent of roses into him.

"I would do anything to keep you as happy as you are," he confessed. "You make me happier than I ever thought I could be." His words hung like lead on Belle's shoulders, because she knew the extent of them. Adam had been devastated, as a child, when his parents unexpectedly passed away. He had been troubled through his youth from the experience, and still struggled with it to this day. Adam realized how heavy he left the atmosphere around the two of them adding, "You know, this is my favorite part of the day." Belle flashed him a grin.

"It's mine too," she replied. Their conversation turned to what had happened to them during the day and what was going to transpire the following day, as well. Not too long after, there was a knock at the door which signaled dinner had arrived.

They moved to sit at the stools for dinner, which were positioned in the living room underneath the countertop that faced the kitchen. They shared a comfortable silence while they happily finished their dinner. As Adam placed his chopsticks on his empty plate, his eyes were drawn to the exposed legs of his girlfriend. He hadn't noticed before, but she was wearing a white long sleeve knit dress that was cut a little higher on the leg than she normally wore.

"You look really nice today, baby," Adam complimented as her eyes met his and she smiled. "Did you wear that to work?" Belle was very professional in the aspect of her work. She was always cautious of what she said, how she acted, and especially what she wore. She particularly wanted to be taken seriously in her first job out of college. It was a little startling to Adam if she had, in fact, worn that dress to work, especially when Gaston had given her so many issues. Belle laughed at his question.

"Oh, no," she replied wiping her mouth with her napkin. "This reveals way too much leg to be appropriate for work." Adam's face became puzzled, and she continued, "I changed when I came to your place. I...I thought you would like it." Adam pushed his plate away and shifted his stool closer to hers.

"Oh, I do. It's very…enticing," he seductively whispered into her hair, "I can't help but notice your hemlines are getting shorter and shorter," he teased which made Belle's cheeks turn a light shade of pink. "Don't be embarrassed, babe. I like it," Adam admitted as he kissed her temple and stood to embrace her, while gently pulling at her curled locks. "You have no idea what this does to me, I mean, how you look even more beautiful and you do it just for me." Belle looked up from her stool, gazing into those sapphire blue pools that she easily lost herself in. Her heart was starting to echo in her chest, and her breathing became a little deeper.

"I love you, Belle," Adam confessed.

"I love you, too," Belle replied as Adam gently pulled her face towards his and their lips met lovingly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, Belle was gently brushing Adam's cheek with her hand, while the other hand was holding a cup of black coffee. "Adam," she cooed, "it's time to rise and shine." His eyes flickered open for a moment and closed tightly. Adam grunted as he rolled over to face her. She giggled, "C'mon Adam, I don't want you to be late for work." She gingerly nudged him as he forced his eye lids open. When his eyesight cleared from sleep, he noticed she was already fully dressed for work.

"I'm awake, baby," he groggily said running his hands over his face. Belle stroked his tangled auburn locks.

"Good, because I have your coffee ready for you," she said as she pushed the mug in front of him. He smiled as he sat up, leaning against the headboard.

"You're too good to be true," he said through a sip. Belle beamed and leaned in for a kiss.

"Flatterer," she accused playfully as her hand pushed against his bare chest. He grabbed it quickly and pulled her into him for a longer zealous kiss, while his arm encompassed her back. Belle giggled against his lips. "Adam! I'm going to be late!" He playfully rolled his eyes.

"Oh, just call in and I'll tell my uncle I can't make it in today. We can stay in all day and snuggle," Adam suggested.

"Absolutely not!" Belle exclaimed. "And I know exactly where snuggling leads with you, mister." Adam laughed and placed his mug down on his night stand.

"You know you like where it leads," he accused as he hauled himself out of bed, and followed her into the living room. She grabbed her purse off of the coffee table and slung it over her shoulder and gave him a calculated stare.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Belle playfully ensued as he wrapped his arms around her. This was the part of their day that they both dreaded. Adam was always hesitant to send Belle off to work in fear of what Gaston might do or say, although lately he had done little to nothing towards Belle, in actions or words. Maybe he had finally taken the hint.

"Remember, tonight our show is at the Tavern. It starts at seven and I'll be out of Uncle Vinnie's shop at little after five. Would you like to meet up for a quick dinner?" Adam questioned. Belle nodded against his chest and looked up so her eyes could meet his. She loved how much taller Adam was compared to her petite frame. She also loved being wrapped in his naturally toned arms where she felt safe, secure, and comfortable. She gave him a sad smile.

"I have to leave or else I'm going to be late," she gloomily informed Adam. He held her tighter against him and kissed the top of her head, and he noticed her hair was still somewhat curly from the day before. "And you have to leave soon too," she added. He tilted her chin up with two of his fingers and their lips meet.

"I'm going to see you so soon," Adam promised when their lips broke apart. "I love you, baby." Belle smiled at him, her heart radiating in her chest. He always knew what to say to her, no matter what her mood was.

"I love you too, Adam."

"Alright," he chuckled, "Off to work with ya," he said as he nudged her towards the door. She smiled softly at him. "I'll text you later, Belle, and we'll figure out dinner." Belle nodded in agreement and bustled out the door when she glanced down at her watch.

Chip had just entered the Times office to drop off his current assignment, and although it was nearly five he wouldn't be reprimanded. His assignment wasn't actually due until tomorrow, but he wanted to cut down on his list of errands for the subsequent day. He was still a student and was attempting to maintain a four point g.p.a. this semester, which meant a lot more time in the campus library. After walking out of Angelique's office, he decided to stroll down to the kitchen to snag a cup of coffee for his walk home. The late autumn season was settling into the town of Molyneaux, and it was becoming quite crisp outside with each passing day. Before he rounded the corner close to the coffee maker, his ears picked up on two low voices speaking.

"So she's going to get the surprise of her life, huh Gaston?"

"Yes," Gaston quietly chuckled maniacally. "This will be exactly what she needs to see that loser musician boyfriend of hers doing. Then she'll come running to who? Me, and begging me to date her." Chip froze, physically unable to move, and his eyes were wide as saucers. Even though Belle's name had not been mentioned, Chip couldn't think of anyone else Gaston could have been plotting against.

"What is Suzi going to do? Just throw herself at the douchebag?" the other voice questioned. Chip realized who it belonged to. It was Stanley, another sports writer for the Times. He and Gaston were big buddies in and out of the office. Gaston thought for a moment.

"Well, pretty much. She's been a good hook up buddy and an even better friend when it comes to helping people sabotage relationships. I paid her her rate, and now I sit back and let her take care of the rest and just wait for Belle to run into my arms."

Chip could bear no more at this point. He spun around and dashed quietly up the stairs to the cubicles, adrenaline pumping through his body. He had to find Belle. He had to warn her. He made his way to Belle's desk, but she wasn't there. Oh, no. He checked his watch, a little after five thirty. He knew Enchantress was going to play tonight, but he had no idea where. Where else would Belle be? He stood a moment to catch his breath, while mentally logging all the places he knew Enchantress had played in the past, but he knew they were starting to play more shows in more venues. With a "list" of places to check he started towards the stairs and pulled out his cell phone. He might be able to save the day after all.

Belle and Adam had grown accustomed to spending quick dinners with one another before Adam had to perform with his band. The faster they were able to finish dinner, the more time they had to sneak away to shower each other with affection. They reluctantly always had to stop themselves sooner than they would prefer so Adam would have enough time to help set up and tune his guitar before each performance.

Belle was gladly passing the time leaning against the wall reading, opposite the bar, of the Tavern. The Tavern was a beautiful, rustic building that had built a regular clientele of college-age mostly. Students loved going there for the drink prices as well as to hear the local bands play. The Tavern booked local bands to play live music multiple nights a week, and Enchantress was becoming one of the bar's favorites to book. Her eyes were pacing along the storyline of one of her personal favorites, Sleeping Beauty. She had reached the part where Aurora meets Prince Charming for the first time, although his identity would not be unveiled until later in the plot, when she happened to glance up at the stage, near the end of the Tavern. She spied those dazzling blue eyes gazing at her, as Adam held his guitar. A smile crossed her lips, and Adam couldn't help but almost lose himself in those glittering hazel eyes of hers. Jean, noticing the lovers, bumped into Adam "accidentally" causing him to lose his focus. Adam turned to him and Jean reminded him he had to play his guitar, in order to warm up. Adam turned back towards Belle, and she noticed his cheeks were a light shade of pink and she giggled, returning to her fairy tale.

"Oh, c'mon!" exclaimed Chip in annoyance. He had been calling Belle's phone ever since he left the office over an hour ago and he still couldn't get her to pick up. He had also been to the few places he could remember that Enchantress played at trying to find Belle or Adam, but his luck was nonexistent. It was hard to search all of these places; it was especially hard on foot and in the cold. The sun was setting much earlier, which caused the blanket of bitter cold to wrap around Molyneaux sooner and with more spite. The crispness of the air stung Chip's face and he moved briskly down each street. He shoved his phone back into his pocket. I can't stop now.

As the time drew near for Enchantress to play, more and more people piled into the Tavern, attempting to grab their drinks and find a good standing spot near the stage. Belle remained content against the wall she had been leaning against, and, noticing the time on her watch gently pushed her book into her purse. She started observing how many people had crammed themselves into the once spacious bar, and subconsciously started scanning the crowd even though she knew she wasn't going to recognize anyone. Except…wait…there was a chesty buxom blonde who had made her way close to the stage who Belle thought she recognized, but from where? She was sure she had never had a conversation with her. Belle was mildly timid of her, from the way she dressed. She donned a tight fitting shrunken leather jacket over a very low cut red tank top. Her black skinny jeans were skin tight as well, leaving hardly anything to the imagination, and to top off her semi-dominatrix look, she wore a pair of black thigh high boots. The music started streaming from the amplifiers and caused Belle's attention to turn to the stage, and her love. When she found his eyes, all of her self-consciousness melted away and she found herself lost in the music and admiring Adam. Life couldn't get much better than this, Belle realized

The crowd cheered as Enchantress wrapped up their last number, and while some people started to dissipate, most stuck around to let loose from their week. It was a Thursday night, after all, which was the Friday night for many college students. The ones who had claimed the area in front of the stage seemed to be the most red faced and were now fighting for a drink at the nearby counter, except her. Belle noticed the buxom blonde who had made her way close to the door which Adam, Jean, and Charlie would come out of once their gear was packed up. She mentally shook it off and told herself she was acting crazy. There were always a few girls who were dying to talk the guys after they performed, and Jean happily took advantage of that opportunity most of the time. Adam, of course, never had been attracted to girls like that. He was polite to them, but any girl crossing a line was quickly stopped. But there was something about this girl that Belle just couldn't shake.

Soon enough the door, from the back of the Tavern, opened to reveal the guys making their way through the crowd toward Belle's spot near the wall. Some people tapped them as they walked by, acknowledging yet another great performance. Jean led the pack, followed by Charlie, and Adam trailed behind him. Belle noticed that Jean and Charlie were almost near her, when the blonde stopped Adam dead in his tracks by stepping in front of him. Although her back was to Belle, Belle realized she was trying to talk to Adam. This made Belle feel somewhat uneasy. Adam's eyes met Belle's, but she didn't give him any indication of how she was feeling. Adam glanced to the side, attempting to free himself from a conversation he didn't particularly want to have. Suddenly, she pulled his face to hers, when she realized he was attempting to move away from her. Her reds lips smeared across his face. Mortified he pulled himself off of her and, in the process, bumped into a small group of people behind him.

Jean and Charlie were puzzled by the horrified look that crossed Belle's face, and it wasn't until they turned around that they realized what had happened. Adam's face was twisted into a multitude of emotions; confusion, anger, shock, but most of all embarrassment. His face was smudged with a bright red color, which had been plastered all over the girl's lips and his mouth was agape in shock. He looked around but the girl had seemed to vanish, and then he locked eyes with his girlfriend. She seemed to have pressed herself stiffly up against the wall, as if her knees might give out if she couldn't support herself on something. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and her breath hitched in her throat.

Adam apologized to the people he stumbled into and then swiftly made his way over to Belle. Jean and Charlie parted themselves as he came closer. Jean motioned for him to wipe his face. He hadn't realized she had physically left a mark on his face. He swiftly managed to clean his face with his hand. He was standing in front of Belle, but he had no words to explain, no words to even begin to apologize.

"Belle…I..I..I didn't…" he managed to form, but nothing else came. Belle had to look away from his face, for the first time in disgust. She knew he hadn't provoked that girl, but she had known that girl was bad news from the moment she noticed her. She managed to inhale sharply, as she realized she had still been holding her breath, and push herself away from the wall. She stared at the floor as she snaked around Adam, needing some fresh air. He followed her out of the Tavern, without his jacket, into the frigid night air.

"Belle!" he called, "Belle, please, please stop." She stopped a few feet down the sidewalk from the entrance, as he caught up to her. "Baby," he cooed as he walked to face her and his hands gently held her face to look at him. "You know I would never hurt you. She kissed me! I am so sorry it happened. Please baby, say something." His eyes were frantic and she was chocking back sobs. She didn't want to cry, not on the street anyways.

"Adam?" she whispered. His face lit up.

"Yes, baby? Would you like to go home?" he asked as his hands slid down from her face and encompassed her hands. She nodded. "Ok baby, let me go grab my guitar and we'll go home," he soothingly said as he began to pull her back towards the bar. She remained unmoved and he became alarmed. Her eyes looked up from the sidewalk and met his as she shook her head. She needed to be alone.

"I do need to go home Adam, my home. My apartment. I need to be alone tonight. I have some things I have to think about." His face fell and his stomach twisted into knots as he was tried to comprehend what she was telling him.

"Baby, baby, please don't do this," he pleaded while he tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat and he squeezed her hands tighter with desperation. "Please come home with me." He could force no more words out without sobbing, or so he feared. He didn't want her to see him cry, and Adam definitely did not want to cry on the sidewalk either. She shook her head again still staring at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Adam. I just need to be alone right now," her voice said barely above a whisper. His heart was being cut into pieces by a dagger that was her words. He had no idea what to say to make everything better, but he was scraping his brain for anything else to say.

Belle left Adam alone on the sidewalk as she got into a cab to whisk her away to her seclusion. As she climbed the stairs to her floor, her heart became heavier and heavier with each step. She fumbled with her keys and wiped her eyes with her sleeve as she opened her door. Her lips quivered as she closed her door and trudged to her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed. She couldn't help but wallow in her own self-pity. She wasn't upset at Adam; she was upset at the situation. Why couldn't she tell him that? She loved him, more than she could ever explain or maybe more than she realized until this moment. Belle had never been more confused about a situation in her entire life. She felt that she was a logical thinking person, and could reason with anything, but was she always going to have to deal with groupies? She knew Adam would die before he cheated on her, but this girl forced herself onto him. How many more times was she going to have to endure heartache like this? These questions and more spun around her brain all night long, preventing her from resting.

Adam could literally feel his heart shatter into pieces when Belle climbed into that cab and it sped off before his eyes. He had never felt so hopeless and wounded. She was the first woman he had ever cared about and everything had been going great. He wanted to ask her to move in with him soon, so that they could start making their home together. He stood motionless, his mind unaware how cold his body had become, for what seemed like days when he heard his name being called.

"Adam!" screamed Chip. "Adam! I have to talk to you!" he exclaimed as he ran towards Adam. After being unable to reach Belle and unable to find where the band was playing, Chip felt like a worthless and useless friend so he started just walking around, mulling in his own pity, until he saw Adam standing by the street a few yards from him. Adam turned to face Chip as he got closer.

"Chip, I really don't want to talk right now," he stated bluntly. Chip shook his head in frustration.

"No Adam, you don't understand! There's a girl who's going to try to come in between you and Belle! I've been trying to find you all night to warn you," he explained. Adam's face revealed shock for the second time that evening.

"How do you know about that?" Chip explained everything he had heard in the office kitchen to attempting to warn them to attempting to find them, and by the time he was finished, Adam's fists were balled up by his sides in rage.

"We have to go to Belle," Adam decided, "We have to tell her about this. When she saw what happened she was so upset she ran away to her apartment." Chip raised his eyebrows.

"I'll go with you, Adam."

They rang the buzzer to Belle's apartment attempting to get an answer. From what they could tell from the street, her lights were off. So either she was sleeping, refusing to see anyone, or wasn't home. Adam pleaded with all his might that she was sleeping. He couldn't fathom the idea of his precious Belle in the arms of that toilet trained gorilla, Gaston. He cringed at the thought.

"She's still not answering her phone, Adam. She hasn't answered it all night," Chip said hitting the end call button on his cell phone for what seemed like the fortieth time. Adam sighed in frustration attempting to think of a plan to win his girl back, although he wasn't positive if he had lost her or not.

"Chip, will you see her tomorrow at the office?" Adam questioned. Chip nodded his head.

"Oh, I plan on being at her desk before she gets there. This is low, even for that slime ball. I am livid. I'm really sorry I couldn't warn you all sooner." Adam shook his head.

"Chip, you have no idea how lucky Belle and I are to have you as a friend. I can't thank you enough for all you've done. But I don't think we can do anything else tonight unfortunately. We should just go home and try and resolve this tomorrow," Adam finished sadly.

Belle clearly heard the buzzer alarming through her apartment that someone was downstairs who needed her attention; the problem was that she couldn't pull herself out of her bed. She knew who was downstairs and what she wanted more than anything was to buzz Adam in and have him hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Her heart had never physically hindered her before, but now it was throbbing in her chest. Her sobbing was uncontrollable at this point and all she wanted was _him_.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning Belle's phone alarm echoed in her purse, although it was unnecessary. She hadn't slept at all; in fact she couldn't keep her eyes shut. All she could see when she did was the horrible girl kissing Adam, over and over and over. She was so angry that the actions of that girl caused her so much torment that she had to leave Adam stranded, physically and emotionally, the night before. It broke her heart to tell him how she needed to be alone and when she sat in the cab, she thought she was going to bawl before she could tell the driver her address, but she held it together until she closed her apartment door.

She reached into her purse to stifle the annoying ringing that radiated in her eardrums. When she dismissed it she noticed she missed almost thirty calls, and they were all from Chip. What in the world? She supposed she hadn't noticed because her phone had been on silent ever since she left the office so her time with Adam would not be disrupted. _Oh, Adam._ The pieces of her heart seem to ache with the reminder of his name. She already missed him so much and had to figure out what to say to him. _What if he's too hurt to take me back? Are we even broken up?_ Her mind shifted as she realized what time it was and how she had to be in the office soon. She sighed, defeatedly, and she hadn't even left her bed yet. She did her best to hide her bloodshot eyes and the bags that hung almost ruched under her eyes, as she looked into her bathroom mirror. _This was going to be a long day. _

As she made her way to her desk, she was cautious not to look at or talk to anyone. She knew her face would reveal a world of pain and she couldn't talk about it. She could barely keep tears from springing in her eyes. She had barely released the button that turned on her computer before a booming voice broke her solitude.

"Well, good morning Belle." She cringed in her chair and forced herself to look down at her lap.

"I have a lot of work to do Gaston," she muttered defeatedly attempting not to look at him.

"Oh, I understand," he said. "I just wanted to let you know I heard about last night." Her head shot up and glared at him in anger but in confusion as well.

"Wha…what do you mean?" she questioned. He smirked.

"Well, I heard about what happened with you and Adam last night. It's a shame he cheated on you like that, and right in front of you no less! I just wanted to let you know if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm always willing to listen." As he strolled away, her blood began to boil and her teeth clenched, but wait a second…how did he know anything about last night? No one from work was at the Tavern and Gaston definitely wasn't there. So how did….Belle gasped as she sprang from her chair. The light bulb had finally clicked on.

"Whoa! Belle! You almost took me out," laughed Chip, as he stood behind her. Belle stumbled to put her words together.

"Chip! I have to…what did you need last…I have to find Adam," she managed to spill from her mouth. He shook his head understanding she had just figured everything out.

"Yeah, Belle?" he said as his hands reached to grasp her arms to keep her still. "I've already talked to Angelique and she's agreed to give you the rest of the day off. A personal day. I didn't give her any details but she saw you when you walked in and knew something was wrong. But I know too." Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"How?" she questioned. Chip chuckled.

"Let's walk to Adam's apartment and I'll explain everything."

Adam lay in misery as his sheets tangled around him. His eyes were dry and itchy from the lack of sleep the night before. He was supposed to have class this morning but there was no way he could drag himself there if his life depended on it. He had been engulfed in his own personal hell for the past fourteen hours. Both his heart and head throbbed in a dull pain. All he could think about was Belle.

Chip and Belle swapped all the details, stories, and the emotional toil that the night before had unleashed, just hours ago, and before either of them realized it they were standing in front of Adam's building. Belle looked up at the fifth floor where Adam's apartment was located and sighed.

"Are you sure he won't slam the door in my face?" she heard herself say. Chip chuckled lightly.

"I'm pretty sure he's dying for you to knock on his door," he responded confidently. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Go, go talk to him," he encouraged.

A soft knock interrupted Adam's self-pitying. He lay there a moment to make sure he had heard the noise at his door, his heart skipping a beat. He heard it once more and made his way to the peep hole, but he was positive his eyes were playing tricks on him, or he was seeing a ghost. He threw open the door to find Belle standing before him. His Belle. Her lips curled up into a smile as he reached out to embrace her, and her arms wrapped around his neck. He lifted her and moved back into his apartment, closing the door behind him with his foot. There were several moments of silence, as they continued to grasp the other tightly. Belle's legs had wrapped around Adam's torso to help him hold her up, not that he needed it.

"I'm so happy you're here," Adam whispered finally. "And I'm so sorry." Belle pulled her head away from his body, so she could see his beautiful blue eyes. They were surrounded by red, just like hers.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Adam. But I do," she sulked as her head fell. He shook his head and his forehead rested against hers.

"No, baby," he cooed as he stroked her hair. "You were hurt. I understand, I promise I do." Adam made his way to his bedroom, while still holding her in his arms. He sat her down on his mattress and she kicked off her shoes and removed her jacket before she fell into his embrace once more. They collapsed into the sea of Adam's sheets and pillows, where both of them almost immediately fell into a restless doze.

Several hours later they awoke in each other's arms, but neither saw any reason to jump out of bed just yet. Adam was more than content to make up for last night by holding Belle for as long as she wanted him to. He soothed her and himself by stroking her soft dark hair.

"So, you promise you're not mad at me?" Adam asked gently, afraid to break the peacefulness. Belle shook her head against his chest and nuzzled into him.

"Not at all," she breathed, "it's _him_ and that girl I'm furious with." Belle quietly spat unable to force herself to say his name. "I just…I can't fathom lusting after someone so much…," her voice trailed off, not really wanting to finish her sentence. Adam held her closer to him. "I still want you to accept my apology, Adam," she said. His brows knit together in confusion.

"For…?" Adam asked. Belle sighed.

"I went home by myself because I was so upset by what I saw. In a small way I let him win, and in the process put both of us in our own personal hell. I'm sorry for allowing him to have that effect on me." Adam pondered for a moment.

"You don't need to apologize to me, baby, and he really didn't have an effect on you. Well, indirectly, I suppose, but it was physically caused by that girl." Belle shook her head wanting and wishing she could rid her memory of the images and the emotions, but they were still fresh enough to re-live.

"I don't wish to talk about it anymore," she pleaded quietly into his bare chest. Adam kissed the top of her head and agreed.

An hour or so later they pulled themselves out of bed. The grey overcast sky had turned dark, although it was only six o' clock. The crisp night temperature had made the warmth of the apartment drop. As Adam pulled himself out of bed, he quickly realized the coziness of his covers was left on his mattress; Adam grabbed a thermal long sleeve shirt to help keep him warm. As Belle followed Adam's lead, she realized she had fallen asleep in her work clothes. Wanting to be more comfortable, she found a sweatshirt and her yoga pants that she kept in his dresser to change into.

Seeing as it had been twenty-four hours since both of them had eaten anything, they decided they should probably find dinner soon. Searching through Adam's kitchen they found pasta and a few ingredients for sauce, Adam's "specialty," so Belle happily made dinner for them. As she was draining the pasta over the sink, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist. Adam's chin rested on her shoulder and his nose brushed her dark locks as he inhaled her scent and kissed her neck. The tranquility of their moment was disrupted by a knock at the door. Puzzled, Adam reluctantly let go of Belle and moved to see who could have wanted to see him. Belle heard Adam walk back into the kitchen followed by his two best friends.

"Hey Belle," said Jean gladly as he gave her a hug, "I'm so happy to see you here." Charlie smiled and nodded in agreement. Adam gave her a reassuring gaze. Her lips spread into a smile. She had grown very close friendships with Charlie and Jean ever since they all spent with day together at MU with Chip. Her personal circle of friends only included Chip at the time, and she was thrilled that Adam's closest friends took a liking to her so well.

"You all played very well last night," she complimented not trying to turn the conversation into the events that followed, but before they did, she did enjoy her time at their show. The boys beamed, proud of their accomplishment, and Belle offered for them to stay for dinner, because she had made more than enough to go around. The three boys moved to sit on the couch, plates in hand, while Belle delicately perched herself on the armrest next to Adam.

"Last night was probably our best show there. I really love playing at the Tavern," Jean said while twirling his fork around the noodles on his plate. "The atmosphere there is perfect for our kind of music, and every time we play there, I feel like more and more people come."

"Yes," agreed Charlie. "The manager told me before we left last night that he would like for us to play a few more times before the end of the month. Can you imagine where this will lead if our following keeps growing?" They all quickly contemplated the notion and Jean and Charlie starting bouncing ideas off of one another of who Enchantress could be opening for, or what location they could be playing a year from now. Meanwhile, Adam's eyes were locked with Belle's silently assuring her that no matter where Enchantress ended up he would always care for her. Charlie broke the silence that Belle and Adam were sharing.

"Adam?" he questioned as Adam and Belle both turned towards him, giving their friend full attention. "Are you still comfortable playing at the Tavern?" Avoiding the question to ask, but asking it anyway. Adam's right hand reached out and rested on Belle's knee.

"I don't have a problem playing there. It would be ridiculous to not accept any more of their invitations, to lose all of that publicity. Besides, it wasn't the Tavern that caused that slut to do what she did," Adam answered irritation laced around his words. Jean, Charlie, and Belle almost jumped at the words that left Adam's lips. "Sorry, I'm still a little aggravated."

"Both you and Belle have every right to be after that scantily clad promiscuous tart acted as she did," furthered Charlie, who had never used such language. Not even Jean could recall a time. They all raised their eyebrows at his words and an "Oooh" escaped from Jean.

"Snap, you just called her out!" Jean joked in a voice that was more of a mix of female and street than his own, which, in turn, made everyone laugh. Afterwards, their conversation turned to other subjects, none of which had to do with the fiasco of the previous night and before long, Charlie and Jean thanked Belle and Adam for allowing them to crash their dinner and headed out for the evening.

Belle began to collect the plates off of the coffee table, when Adam gently pulled them out of her arms.

"You cooked Belle, so I should be the one who cleans up," he informed her as he brought the plates to the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher. When he turned around he spied Belle sitting on the island countertop across from him and made his way over to her.

"What would you like to do for the rest of the evening, my love?" he questioned as his arms wrapped around her tiny waist and his forehead met hers. Her smile grew as her arms intertwined around his neck.

"I would, honestly, love to go back to bed," she replied sleepily. He chuckled lightly against her lips before he gently brushed them with his own.

"It's only ten. Didn't we just wake up?" he inquired as a smirk played across his face. She shook her head.

"You know you could fall right back asleep too," she argued playfully, as her hands found her hips, while her body was still perched on the counter. He lifted her and carried her to his room, setting her carefully on the floor. When they climbed into Adam's bed, Belle had swapped her sweatshirt for one of his black t-shirts and he couldn't get over how adorable she looked. She snuggled close to him, resting her head on his now bare chest as he tucked her head under his chin. They lay in silence while Adam absent mindedly caressed Belle's hair, attempting to lull her to sleep.

"Adam," Belle whispered, "do you know why I said I had to think about things last night?" Adam thought a moment before answering.

"I thought it was because you thought I accepted her advance somehow." She twisted her body to face him so her elbows rested on both sides of his chest. Adam lightly repositioned his hands against her forearms. She shook her head.

"No, I had to think about whether I would be able to ever handle a…a situation like that again. You are a very attractive man, Adam, and girls always are gawking at you at every show. I know you don't pay them any attention, but what if that were to happen again? Another girl throws herself at you? I don't know if I could physically handle my heart break again," she explained as her gaze turned away from his face. Adam gently nudged her face so she was looking at him once more, his hand cupping the side of her face.

"Belle, do you trust me?" he inquired seriously. She searched his face attempting to read what was going on in his mind.

"Of course I trust you Adam, it's just that—"

"Belle, do you trust me?" he asked sternly once more cutting her sentence off. Belle became startled and her eyes widened a bit. Adam had never used that tone of voice with her before.

"Yes, Adam. I trust you with all my heart," she breathed. He leaned forward and kissed her soft pink lips.

"I will never do anything to hurt you, and I will never let another soul cause you any anguish for any reason, Belle, I swear on my life," he confidently assured her, his voice turning much softer than before, as his arms wrapped snugly around her, moving her to where her chest lay square with his and her legs rested between his. Once her head relaxed on his chest, his arm caressed her back and the sound of his heart beat helped ease her into a deep slumber.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next day when Belle awoke she felt more than relieved. Her chest was no longer causing her pain, nor was her eyes swollen or red. _Today is going to be a great day_, she thought. Enchantress had a gig scheduled that night at the Castle, opening for another band, and it seemed like the entire college town of Molyneaux was buzzing about it, including the band themselves. The guys were ecstatic to, once again, be opening for another signed band. Invitations like these had been opening more doors and more frequently.

Belle was just as excited about the concert. She and Chip had made plans to go support the guys, all the while relieving stress from work, and school in Chip's case, tonight. Chip had been taking on more responsibility at the Times, as well as attempting to balance his school work. Belle, on the other hand, was a little embarrassed that her editor, Angelique, had granted her a personal day, but God was she grateful for it. She had sent an email, the previous night, apologizing as well as promising to send her assignment by no later than Sunday morning. She was more than thankful to have an understanding boss.

Adam eyed his girlfriend lovingly as she was reading next to him on the couch. He was idly playing on his acoustic guitar. Belle lowered her book as she caught her boyfriend's gaze.

"Why are you staring at me?" she questioned. Adam's motions didn't falter as he continued to strum the melody of My Sweet Lord when he replied, "Because you're gorgeous." His response sounded more like a fact than his opinion. Belle playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head as if she refused to believe him. He smiled at her and continued,

"You know we're playing at the Castle tonight?" Belle marked her place in her book and sat it on the coffee table.

"Yes, and I'm really happy for you all." He smiled at her, but it disappeared when a thought crept into his mind and he set down his guitar.

"Belle, do you still want to come tonight? I understand if you would rather do something else." She shook her head and scooted closer to him.

"No, I'm really excited about tonight. Actually both Chip and I are. We're ready to relieve some of this pent up stress." Adam's smile returned and he moved even closer to her, his hand pushing some hair behind her ear.

"Good because I'd be really upset if you weren't going to be there. I love having you there supporting me." His touch was electrifying to her and looking into his deep blue eyes always had the strangest effect on Belle. Even when they first locked eyes, in the green room of the Castle, she found herself speechless for a moment. "You know," he continued, "I always thought you were cute, from the picture on your column, but it wasn't until I met you that I realized how beautiful you are." Belle laughed at him and playfully shoved him.

"You're being silly," she accused, but Adam shook his head in protest.

"You know, I meant what I said last night?" he asked, changing the subject. Belle pulled her knees up to her chest while shifting her body to face him.

"What you said before we fell asleep?" she clarified as she bit her lower lip. Adam nodded. "I know you did," she whispered. Belle was well aware there wasn't much of anything in this world Adam wouldn't do for her, and honestly, she for him. Belle had been catching herself, more and more, daydreaming about the possibility of where their relationship was heading, but she would never admit that to him. Suddenly, Adam sprang up from the couch.

"Oh! Before I forget," he started saying as he went into his bedroom and Belle eyed him curiously, "you and Chip are going to need these." As he walked back into the living room he handed Belle two VIP passes. Her face lit up as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and his arms reached around her figure as she kissed his neck.

"Thank you, Adam, thank you!" she exclaimed. His forehead met hers and their eyes locked, sending goose bumps along her arms.

"You're more than welcome baby," he cooed.

It felt like no time to Adam before he had to pull himself away from his oasis with Belle to join Jean and Charlie to set up their equipment. Chip and Belle were meeting up a little later that evening so they could go to the concert together, which gave Belle the perfect opportunity to consider what she was going to wear. It normally was silly of her to think such a thought, but truthfully she had concentrated on it more and more recently. It wasn't that she dressed frumpy or outdated, but she didn't look like the other girls at the shows. Some of them were more hard core than others with full sleeve tattoos and facial piercings, but ripped leggings or animal print was a norm at the shows. And if you wanted to meet any of the bands, a combination of cleavage and leg was a girls' ticket. Belle didn't intend on taking it that far, she just wanted to step it up a notch. She had purchased a couple of clothing items lately that might have been influenced by what she saw other girls wearing at Adam's shows. She wanted to awe Adam tonight at his show and look like a heavy metal princess. That way no other girl would even shoot her a questioning glare as to why they were together, as she often received.

Chip was anxiously awaiting Belle outside a corner coffee shop not far from the venue. Though he was dressed warmly, the night air nipped at his face. He attempted to distract himself from the cold by playing a game on his phone. He noticed a really attractive girl standing near him out of his peripheral vision. _She's probably waiting for a cab_, he thought. She was wearing a fitted leather jacket and a golden sequin tee. Despite the weather she wore a skirt that showed off her legs, but had paired black tights and flat lace up boots. _Maybe I should ask her if she goes to MU_, thought Chip, _she does look familiar_. It wasn't until he turned to fully looked at her face that he realized who she was.

"Belle! I didn't even recognize you," he exclaimed. She giggled at his response and tightened her leopard print scarf around her neck a bit. "You look great, but what made you—"

"Oh, I just wanted to dress up a little bit tonight," she said. "Because Adam gave me these," she finished as she pulled the VIP badges from her messenger bag. Chips' eyes became wide and he shrieked with excitement. They hastily made their way to the Castle, trying to escape the cold. Belle was grateful she wore her black beanie to help keep her warm. They were ushered right in when they got to the door because of the VIP passes, which made them both feel like rock stars.

Inside the venue, it was already teeming with people. They were crowding in closer to the stage, as the time drew near for Enchantress to start. Belle automatically spied Adam, but she wondered if he could spot her. Chip grabbed her arm and led her closer to the stage, and purposefully chose a space directly in front of Adam. He figured if Adam hadn't seen Belle's outfit before he left he probably wouldn't have been able to pick her out in the crowd. A few moments passed before Adam looked up from his guitar, but when he did he spotted Chip and his face turned somewhat surprised when he saw Belle. Almost unable to recognize her from what she was wearing, Adam really liked what he saw. He smiled at them and waved and they returned the gesture. She normally wore a plaid shirt and jeans to their shows, now that it was cold, but when it was warmer she would be sporting a sun dress. This version of his girlfriend really turned him on.

Jean's charismatic voice boomed throughout the Castle over the microphone, and everyone cheered when they began to play. Belle lost herself in the music and her boyfriend's dreamy eyes when he would glance at her. Chip was releasing his tension by dancing next to Belle. After the third song, Chip was dehydrated and told Belle he was going to the bar to grab a water and he'd bring one back for her too. He had to nudge his way back towards the bar because of the number of people. When he made it to the bar he was patiently waiting for the bartender who was making mixed drinks for the girls next to him. He just so happen to glance over his shoulder and his mouth almost dropped. Gaston was not ten feet from him with a rather slutty looking girl on his arm. He turned around quickly, hoping he hadn't been spotted. Luckily, the bartender was free. He made his way back to Belle as quickly as he could.

"You are never gonna believe who is here," he said into her ear, as he tugged on her arm to get her attention from the echoing amplifiers. Belle gave him a confused look as she took one of the water bottles he handed out to her. Chip mouthed the name Gaston, and her eyes grew wide with terror and shock. She wasn't terrified of seeing him; she was terrified of what Adam would do to him. Adam had the last straw with Gaston's plots to steal away his girlfriend. If he weren't afraid of Belle losing her job, he would have gone to the Molyneaux Times office and made Gaston wished he had never looked at Belle. Adam noticed Belle and Chip were talking about something but he assumed it was something about the show, so he shrugged it off. She motioned for Chip to follow her, and they found themselves going backstage.

Belle wasn't running from Gaston but she didn't want Adam to see him get anywhere near her. She wanted to warn him herself. Chip and Belle waited near two bouncers. It was only two more songs before Adam came and met them where they were standing.

"Hey baby," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "You look incredible tonight. Hey Chip; I'm glad you could both make it." Chip and Belle smiled eagerly at him.

"It was a really great show, Adam," Chip complemented. "They get better and better." Adam smiled, proud of what he and his friends had accomplished in all their years of playing together.

"Thanks Chip, I really appreciate that. Why don't you two go wait for us in the green room? I need to help them break everything down." They shook their heads and Adam stole a quick kiss from Belle before she followed Chip down to the "dungeon" as she once referred to it.

"So, are you not going to tell Adam about me seeing Gaston? He must have not seen him in the crowd," Chip asked. Belle immediately shook her head.

"No, I'm going to tell him. I just didn't want to get him all riled up on stage where everyone can see him. He and I are still very upset with that…stunt that monster pulled. I mean, it just happened the other night. And the fact that I had to take off work for it was so…humiliating..." Chip listened intently as Belle went on and they made their way to the green room. Their bottles of water were empty so as Belle sat on the couch, Chip went to the fridge and found two more to replenish theirs. It wasn't long before they heard the guys coming down the corridor, and another band start to play above their heads.

"Hey guys!" exclaimed Jean, as he burst through the door, "how is everybody tonight?" He was acting as if he were still on stage being loud and boisterous. Chip and Belle giggled, and Belle wondered if someone had bought him a couple shots after they wrapped up. Charlie was not quite as energetic as Jean, but more 'peppy' than usual to say the least. Adam came in last, heading towards the fridge to grab a water bottle, and then immediately made his way to sit with his girlfriend, wrapping his arm around her. "Belle, before I forget, you look smokin' hot tonight!" slurred Jean. Belle giggled, and she knew someone must have treated him to a shot, or three, before he made his way down to the green room. Adam and Charlie shook their heads but laughed it off. The guys were hyper, from the success of their show, and Chip was hyper from the atmosphere. They soon had a flamboyant conversation going about the show and the rest of their night. Belle really didn't want to ruin Adam's good mood, but she also didn't want to risk running into Gaston on their way out. She leaned into Adam's ear.

"Adam, I have to tell you something," she started while the other three boys were busy in their discussion. His face turned very serious and worry crept into mind. "Chip saw Gaston here with a girl. I don't know if it is that same girl from the other night, but he is here." Adam could feel his face become red with rage, his arm around her shoulders stiffen, and the hand holding his water bottle tighten. His brow creased and his lips curled into a scowl. Belle reached and placed her hand on his arm. "I knew it was going to make you mad, but I had to tell you. I'm just as upset as you are." He looked down at her, his face more relaxed, but his eyes still burned with rage. The arm he had draped around her loosened slightly and he moved to kiss her forehead.

"Thank you for telling me, baby. I need to go and deal with this," he said as he started to move off the couch. Belle tried to pull on his black t-shirt to keep him next to her.

"Well, what do you think you're going to do?" she asked, a hint of panic in her voice. He had moved to the edge of the couch, and he turned to face her.

"I'm gonna pummel his ass after all the shit he's pulled, this week alone," he stated, as if it were obvious. She shook her head and moved to where her face was somewhat level with his.

"Adam, please, you can't do it here. I'm afraid you'll get kicked out and then you all may never play here again. Please don't do that to your band. Don't do that to yourself."

"Well, I can't keep letting him win."

"He hasn't won anything, Adam. He obviously came here to cause a rift in the evening, and attempt to ruin your band's show. But you all had a great gig, and we probably won't even see him for the rest of the night. Please, stay with me," she begged while her hazel eyes were pleading above everything else. He looked down and saw the fear in her beautiful eyes, and his rage seemed to evaporate. He hugged her shoulders close to him and brought his lips to hers, in a passionate embrace, completely forgetting about the other three in the room. It wasn't long before they heard "Oooohs", from the guys, and cat whistling from Lumiere. They broke away, both blushing, but Belle was more than grateful Adam had changed his mind.

"Well, c'mon you guys!" Lumiere bellowed. "Let's go party with everyone else upstairs!" Chip shot Belle and Adam a cautious glance, silently asking if that was such a good idea. Belle shrugged her shoulders and she and Adam got up from the couch and followed the other three out the door.

"Belle, do you really think this is a good idea?" Chip asked as they walked towards a door that would lead them to the standing area. Adam chimed in before Belle had a chance to.

"He knew perfectly well what he was doing coming here. I know what he wants and if he's stupid enough to come anywhere near her, he'll regret it," Adam quipped. Belle squeezed his hand tighter when he finished his sentence and she gave him a pleading glance, trying to remind him of what they had just talked about in the green room. Jean led everyone to the bar and ordered shots for the entire group. He was smitten with the lady bartender; apparently this wasn't the first time they had met. Belle was attempting to come to grips with that fact that whatever was going to happen tonight was going to happen. Adam was right, that monster knew very well what he was doing by coming to the Castle. She turned to face Adam after she took the shot Lumiere offered her. He smiled and leaned into her.

"I'm getting you tipsy tonight, princess," he teasingly said into her ear. She pulled her head back and scrunched her nose, but her mouth couldn't help but smile. They laughed, and Jean had five more shots waiting for everyone on the bar top. He decided more shots was going to equal a better night. After the third round Belle knew she was going to be done for the night, and she wanted to make sure she could keep an eye on everyone. Charlie was making sure everyone knew how much he loved them, and soon after, Chip, Adam, Charlie, and Jean were arguing about who was the better guitarist, Eddie Van Halen or Jimi Hendrix.

Suddenly, Belle felt her shoulder being pulled back with almost enough force to make her fall to the ground but she caught herself. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she saw Adam lunge forward and swing at whatever had been trying to take her down. The two bodies collided on the floor but Adam had ended up on top sending blows to the person's head. The other band was still playing, and their music was covering up any grunts or moans that might have escaped from either of the two battling on the floor. Belle moved to pull Adam off of whoever he was on top, but Chip and Jean held her back.

Adam surfaced after what seemed like hours to Belle, and the figure didn't rise until Adam was standing next to Belle. She noticed Adam's lip was cut but the damage done to the other man was worlds worse. Belle knew who had attacked her, and she knew Adam had been dying to get ahold of him. When he arose, it was plain to see Gaston's face was bruised from his forehead to his jaw and it looked like he was going to have a black eye by the next day. He didn't take a closer step near Belle, instead he turned quickly and they could see him make his way, almost sprinting, out of the Castle. She turned towards Adam and took his face in her hands scanning it to make sure she hadn't missed any damage that could have been caused by the monster. His hands mimicked hers and he cupped her face, his eyes telling her he was fine.

"Hey, are you all right?" asked the lady bartender who had been supplying them with shots. Adam sighed.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry I did that in front of your bar. That was uncool," he answered as he ran his hand through his hair embarrassed, almost ashamed of what he had done. She smiled at him and shook her head.

"No, don't be! That guy was a jerk to me all night long, and his little bimbo-gal-pal was acting bitchy towards me too. I was about to tell them where they could go. Hopefully I never have to wait on them again. If my boss asks what happened, he attacked your girl and you had to defend her. He'll never be let in here again." The boys and Belle were astonished at the words that came out of her mouth.

"Everyone, this is Celine, the Castle's best bartender!" Lumiere introduced, "And the most beautiful bartender, at that," he added. Celine laughed.

"Very funny, Lumiere. You know you don't have to flatter me to get free shots. Enchantress' performances are always worth their weight in shots," she joked. Celine looked like a typical bartender girl at the Castle. Her black Castle tee showed off both her full sleeve tattoos, and her nose had a small diamond stud in it. Her long raven hair was curled and it had peek-a-boos of purple throughout.

"Well, thank you so much for being so cool about the mayhem I caused," said Adam relieved, "I know you should probably have me thrown out."

"Dude, like I said, no sweat. I will make sure that jerk is never coming back here again, and I doubt that he will ever bother you all again. So let's celebrate, another round?" Celine suggested. Adam thanked her but told her that he and Belle needed to get home. They bid their friends goodbye and thanked Celine again for her kindness.

One the walk home Adam kept his arm locked around Belle's shoulders and her head was rested against his chest. They walked in a comfortable silence until they reached his apartment. Once they made it to his door, he surprisingly scooped her up, wedding style, and carried her in the doorway. She giggled as her arms locked tightly around his neck. He pushed the door shut behind them, with his back, and kissed her sweetly, still holding her in his arms.

"You are amazing," Belle said once their lips parted.

"Me?" Adam questioned, "Oh, no, my love. You are amazing." He said as his nose touched the tip of her nose. "Are you ready for bed?" She looked quizzically at him.

"You're not tired are you?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Nope, and I know you're not either," he answered flashing her that dazzling smile of his and making his way to his room. She laughed against his lips before kissing him once more as he closed the door.


End file.
